1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a slim camera, and more particularly, to a slim camera which can be stably mounted on a tripod.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the demand for slim cameras has increased, cameras have become smaller and more compact. However, even a camera employing a slim design should have certain fundamental functions, such as the ability to be stably mounted on a tripod.
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a conventional camera 10 and a tripod 20. Referring to FIG. 1, a tripod connecting hole is formed in a bottom surface of the camera 10 and a mounting screw 21 of the tripod 20 is inserted into the tripod connecting hole so that the camera 10 is mounted on the tripod 20.
FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a lower portion of the camera illustrated in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of a connected portion in which the camera 10 is mounted on the tripod 20.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a tripod connecting hole 12 is formed in a bottom surface of a housing 11 of the camera 10, and a mounting screw 21 of the tripod 20 is inserted into the tripod connecting hole 12 so that the camera 10 is mounted on the tripod 20. In this case, a length l12 of the tripod connecting hole 12 formed in the housing 11 of the camera 10 is substantially the same as a length l21, of the mounting screw 21 of the tripod 20. Thus, a thickness d11, of the housing 11 is at least larger than the length l12 of the tripod connecting hole 12, and therefore also longer than the length l21 of the mounting screw 21 of the tripod 20. As a result, the thickness of the case 11 is increased, resulting in hindering the implementation of a slim camera.
A lower portion of the camera illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 may be the same structure as that of a lower portion of another conventional camera illustrated in FIG. 4 so that the thickness d11 of the housing 11 can be reduced. Even in such a case, a portion, with which the mounting screw of the tripod is combined and in which the tripod connecting hole 12 is formed, is indented into the camera 10, resulting in the housing 11 having a thickness d10 so as to provide the length l12 of the tripod connecting hole 12 corresponding to the mounting screw. Thus, as the internal volume of the camera 10 is increased, it is not easy to implement a slim camera.
A method for reducing the size of a mounting screw of a tripod has been proposed so as to overcome the problem. In this case, the internationally standardized tripod cannot be used. In addition, a structure has been proposed, in which only a small-sized connecting hole is provided in the camera housing, and an auxiliary adaptor is combined with the small-sized connecting hole of the camera and the mounting screw of the tripod is inserted into the sufficiently sized tripod connecting hole of the auxiliary adaptor. Alternatively, a structure has been proposed, in which the camera is supported by a clip support implement and the mounting screw of the tripod is inserted into a tripod connecting hole formed in the clip support implement. However, in this case, an additional auxiliary adaptor or clip support implement needs to be carried in order to mount on the tripod.